The Dickinson press., 1887-07-23
AN ENGLISH STAG HUNT.
ExHlLARATlNG EFFECT OF A GAL
LoP OVER THE HEATHER.

| lOP OVER THE HEATHER.
Hurry Is the Word When tho Hounds
Begin to lsay-A Hard Ride to the
Finisl,-A Stag Facing Ills Foes-Thc
Death stroke.
We are Oh the top of Porlocls hill, and
southwark and westward stretch the rolling
hills of the forest, SCARED by the deep
coom|cs and ravines, nt the bottom Of which
| invariably runs Il stream of water in which
salmon and trout cause many q whirl and
eddy. The grand old trees on the sloping
sides of these coombes look so quiet and
stately that it seems as if we had left the
inthi,rd world altogether. Northward, a
thousand feet below us, the Atlantic ocean
rolls its waters up tho Bristol channel, and
dash"s its spray on the shingly beach
sha'iowrl by the trees and brrshwood which
com" quite down to the waters edge. But
liatl. There's shout and the pcalins of
Arth,n's horn. Something's nfoot. SIS it a
stag or II hind!' is the anxious inquiry of
everybody. "There it goes up wonder Slope
lis hind though, with a tuftcr hard at her
heels" The hound is whipped off, and again
VIC wait. "'lhat'sa whmper, surely, below
there" another now II chorus from four or
five hounds, backed up by notes from horn.
All eyes are eagerly watching tho edges of
the woods to see what breaks out Crash!
''By Jovc there he is, and n splendid fellow,
too. What Il head! Brow, bay, and tray,
and three 'pon top" 'Ts glorious sight to
sce linn toss back his antlels and go at a long,
swinging snllop across the heather and tlisap-
pear over the crest of the opposite hill.
Hurry is the word Tighten your girths,
| gctinto the saddle, and make up your mind
fora hard ride now, for the stag has gone
straight for the moor, and sobbinS sides and
rc,l'lcnel rowrls will tell their usual tale ere
we set him up to bay; perhaps in ''Waters-
mectn
The tuftcrs are whipped Off and Arthur
rides fast back for the pack, which he quickly
brings up and lays on the track Justa min
ute the hounds feather then from old Clal.
| lcngcr's throat there comes n roar as ln
strikes tho line; his comrades take up the
note, and for IL few minutes tho hills resounl
I" the deep laying as each dog catches the
mystic scent. They rapidly settle down to
their long sweeping stride, and the hunt has
| fairly lmgln
Wearc in II good position, so far, and feel
the rXllllaratlns effect of a moorland gallop
as tl!r heather gli,lrs under our horses feet.
| Down that cuomhc the chase takes lis.
over the howl,lcrs and among tho lalches
Our nprscs must walk il. AT last we rcac,,
| tn" ll"w and observe n few horsemcn vanish
over the opposite side. We follow hard i'm
| their wake, and soon cnn see the hounds before
and below us running fast and close to the
me. Arthurln his scarlet coat is close llp with
them, nsaso are about half Il dozen Jealous
| sp"rlSincll. Two hours, and not Il check,'
| Thew! Our horses arc beg inning to feel tie
| srain and We should not at all object TO
draw rein, hut the gallant beast ahead is
showing sport, and he leads us through tho
beautiful woods and gladcs of Horncr. past
the old water mill, up the stream, and across
the side of old Dunkcrry, the highest and
+ blcakest hill in the west. Here the hounds
wavrr nml lose the scent. All! what relief
to pull up and blow our horses. Five min
utcs, and IN old hound hits the line again.
and says so, and shows the way toward tho
famous valley where the Doones had their
robbrr stronghold. Few are tho riders now.
as we lead our foam covered horses down tho
tremendous declivity none could ride DOWN.
Again we mount, dash through the ford of
Bradgeworthy Water, and stretch out for
Simonsbath. We take caro- to avoid riding
where tho bright green patches of seeming
beautiful galloping ground denote the pres
cnce of bogs, into which it is dangerous to
ride. Lives are lost by getting into these
quaSnlircs, and frcqucnters of the moor givo
them rs wide 4 berth as possible.
lla! Tho hounds swing back towards
Eradscworthy Water, and tho stag is seen
below with lowered head now seeking tho
| cooling bath of the waters. No time do tho
dogs give him, however, and he sinks tho hill
straight this time. at is all up!' We know
now that lie has well nigh finished his course,
for when deer seek to attain u hilltop by
going straight up It's sure sign of the end.
The master and Arthur with one or two other
riders in scarlet arc in front of us, and wo
hope that tile stag will turn to bay quickly,
50 that we may be present ut the kill. The
noble hrutes we ride have had quito enough
OF it, and gone is the free reaching stride OF
The beginning of the hunt. We struggle on,
however, and are glallenel by hearing tho
bnyins Of tho hounds beneath, down by tho
stream, beyond that thick belt of woods Wo
slip and clntter down the rough sides and
between the trees we catch glimpse of scar
let and other conts, raging dogs, and, as we
get mp close, there, with his back against an
immense bowlder in mid stream. is the old
stag facing his foes, and, like gentleman as
he is, fighting to the last. One unwaIy young
hound is ripped up from shoulder to flank by
dash of those terribly sharp browantlcrs.
Others, more wise, kceput distance, and
hay till the coombe echoes with their Dealinr
notes.
Arthur is in first, and jumping out of tho
saddle with the agility Of so years instead Of
=, gets up the sides of the rock, and when
the deer, with hoof and horn, is keeping his
canine enemies from fastening on him, ho
l"'us forward and sends lis hunting knife
deep into his throat. With an upward toss
Of his head and roll of his beautifully brown
eyes the stag sinks down into the water dead.
Then the death whoop peals, and the mort
is sounded, again and again, "whoop, who-o-
op, who-wlio-o-op' The shouts make tho
copml,c echo and rcecho with the shrill hal
loo, aud the stragglers coming down the hill
Sides know that they are just too late to SEQ
the death stroke given.
The deer is pulled to the bank and his
point, are counted and his size admired. He
is then grallocked and his entrails thrown to
the hounds. The slots the two fore hoofs,
are given as trophies to two fair ladies' who
lave ridden the chase fairly through, from
find TO finish. Congratulations and expert
cncrs of the day are exchanged, and u merry
ten minutes chat takes place.-"The Ethel
nl, in The Argonaut
Preservation OF the Sea Fishes.
Whether artificial propagation will apply
t" the preservation of the sea fishes is not so
certain. 1t has been eminently successful in
restoring the exhausted oyster beds of Long
| aMd sound and elsewhere, but whether it
can l.c made effective in the matter of main-